Ball-caster.



Patented Aug. 29, I899.

B. 'A. MANLEY.

BALL EASTER.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARNEY A. MANLEY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

BALL-CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631 ,804, dated August 29, 1899. Application filed October 27, 1898. fierial No. 694,756. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARNEY A. MANLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball-Casters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to support a series of balls in suitable cavities and against which a larger ball rests, the larger ball held from displacement by a ring.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an under face representation of my improved caster. Fig. 2 is a similar View in which the I 5 large ball and ring have been removed. Fig.

3 is a vertical section.

The main portion of the caster consists of the base 1, shank 2, and three arms 3, depending from the base. Each of the arms has a spherical recess 4., within which is located a ball 5, the free ends of the arms each having a horizontal recess 6. An open ring 7 is placed in the recess 6 of the arms. A

ball 8, of a diameter greater than the inside 2 5 diameter of the ring, is forced into position through the ring, the ring yielding sufficiently to allow of its insertion and the recess 6 permittin g the ring to expand, and after the ball is in position against the balls 5 the ring 7 will close and prevent the ball 8 from falling out. The shank of the caster is placed in the article of furniture to be supported, and the large ball 8 will rest upon the floor and against the series of balls 5, supported by the arms 3, thereby forming an antifriction support for the larger ball. The larger ball will not engage the ring 7 when in use, as shown at Fig. 3, and the ring is for the sole purpose of preventing the ball from falling out when the article of furniture is lifted.

I claim as my invention- A ball-caster composed of a circular base, three arms depending from the base having enlargements at the base and semispherical recesses formed in the enlargements, each arm having a groove near its outer end, balls located in the recesses, an open ring located in the grooves of the arms and a larger ball capable of rolling in connection with the balls and adapted to pass through the ring after the ring is in position in the arms.

BARNEY A. MANLEY.

WVitnesses:

A. O. BEHEL, E. BEHEL. 

